News Archives – Ames Writers Collective

Ames Writers Collective Founder Featured on Studio 308

April 14th, 2026

On Monday, April 13th, our founder Ana McCracken spoke with Nathan Porter on Studio 308’s Face to Face segment. During their conversation, Nathan, an Iowa State University Journalism student, and […]

Beyond the Summit┃Above+Beyond Cancer Conference

April 2nd, 2026

Join Founder Ana McCracken at the upcoming "Beyond the Summit" conference, June 11, 2026. Beyond the Summit is a one-day conference created for cancer survivors and caregivers seeking practical tools, inspiration, and connection during and after the cancer journey.

Ames Writers Collective featured in PBS Iowa Reading Road Trip

March 24th, 2026

The Ames Writers Collective is excited to be featured in Iowa PBS’s Road Trip Iowa, a series that highlights the people and places that make our state unique. In this […]

Publication of Writing Circle Mondays

March 6th, 2026

Hot off the presses: Writing Circle Mondays Reflections on Life & Cancer. This anthology co-edited by Ames Writers Collective founder, Ana McCracken and Terri Dorothy, a John Stoddard Cancer Center patient, gathers together heartfelt stories...

Auditions | The EcoTheatre Lab

March 5th, 2026

March 29th & 31st: Auditions for The EcoTheatre Lab's new eco-play festival, In Our Backyard. Auditions are open to the public, ages 18+.

Meet Author Denise Williams

January 25th, 2026

Denise Williams wrote her first book in the 2nd grade. I Hate You and its sequel, I Still Hate You, featured a tough, funny heroine, a quirky hero, witty banter, and a dragon. Minus the dragons, these are still the books she likes to write...

Five Tips to Help You Write in 2026

January 2nd, 2026

Check out our 1st blog post for 2026! Written by communications intern, Acacia Coates, the post offers up all sorts of ideas to move your 2026 writing goals forward. Click […]

Ana McCracken Featured on Dish with Nish Podcast

November 24th, 2025

Our very own founder Ana McCracken had the opportunity to be a guest on the "Dish with Nish Podcast," a podcast hosted by Dr. Andrew Nish, Medical Director at the John Stoddard Cancer Center.

Write Together Tuesdays | Monthly 2nd & 4th Tuesdays

November 23rd, 2025

Join us for our hybrid Write Together Tuesdays on Zoom or in person at Fifth Street Writers. 3:30 to 5 PM CT. WHAT’S A WRITE TOGETHER? We join together on […]

Why Support Us & Our Programs!

November 21st, 2025

Why are the Ames Writers Collective and Fifth Street Writers important to Ames and Central Iowa? Our mission is to create healthy communities through the art of writing. We believe that writing changes and saves lives.

Portraits of Stones w/ Karen Bermann & Claire Kruesel

November 20th, 2025

Portraits of Stones - a drawing & writing workshop Saturday Nov 22: 1:30 to 6:30 PM Drop in anytime Saturday for drawing, writing, and chatting with two creatives.

Eco-Theatre Workshop | Sat Nov 15

November 10th, 2025

Join The EcoTheatre Lab and Ames Writers Collective for a community Climate Change Theatre Action workshop! The EcoTheatre Lab team will share readings of short climate change plays and introduce the international Climate Change Theatre Action initiative.

Author Spotlight | Karen Bermann

November 9th, 2025

You won't want to miss Karen Bermann! Join us on Nov 20th for her Author Spotlight, and on Nov 21 & 22 for her gallery exhibit and generative writing workshop on Nov 22nd.

Meet Bestselling Novelist Nicole Baart!

October 30th, 2025

Meet Nicole Baart! Nicole is the bestselling author of several novels, including Where He Left Me and Everything We Didn’t Say. She has years of experience in modern publishing and […]

Author Nicole Baart & The Publishing Journey

October 29th, 2025

We are thrilled to host Nicole Baart for a publishing practicum, book-signing and workshop. Join Us!

Art of the Haibun with Katherine Larson

October 13th, 2025

Join us for the “Art of the Haibun” with poet, Katherine Larson.

Author Spotlight with Douglas Gentile

October 12th, 2025

"I went to a 28-day retreat at Woljeongsa Temple, in the mountains of Pyeongchang, South Korea. Very quickly things went wrong—really wrong." —Douglas Gentile

2nd & 4th Write Together Tuesdays

October 11th, 2025

Write Together Tuesdays are open to Fifth Street Members, Community Writers & Writers From Around the Globe!

2025 Ames Artists’ Studio Tour at Fifth Street Writers

October 1st, 2025

2025 Ames Artists' Studio Tour at Fifth Street Writers. Make poetry collages or write during our Tumbling Words Wild Writing session.

Author Spotlight | John T. Price | Oct 9th 7 PM

September 29th, 2025

Join the Ames Writers Collective & KHOI Community Radio Station for an evening with John T. Price—live at Fifth Street Writers on Thursday, October 9th at 7 PM. This free […]

Swift Literary Festival Sunday, Sept 28th

September 25th, 2025

Join us this Sunday, September 28th for our 4th Annual Swift Literary Festival held during the 54th Annual Octagon Art Festival.

Member Open Hours | Mondays in Sept | 5 to 7 PM

September 13th, 2025

This month, join us for Open Hours at Fifth Street Writers. Open hours are available for members only! Interested in becoming a member? Click here for more information! Looking for […]

Join Us for Our Write Togethers

September 8th, 2025

Open to FIFTH STREET MEMBERS & Free to Writers working on a writing project. Join us for our Write Togethers...

Seeking Art Submissions | Words Meet Art

July 13th, 2025

The Ames Writers Collective is seeking “two-dimensional original art” submissions for an exhibition at Fifth Street Writers located in downtown Ames, Iowa. Submission DEADLINE Aug 15.

Octagon Third Thursday Poetry Slam

July 6th, 2025

The Octagon in partnership with the Ames Poetry Slam & Ames Writers Collective is hosting its first ever poetry slam!

Ames Writers Collective in the News – Grand Opening

June 17th, 2025

The Ames Tribune recently published an article featuring Fifth Street Writers’ grand opening. Ana McCracken discussed her desire to create community for Ames writers through the new space, highlighting the […]

Tumbling Words Event

June 13th, 2025

Join us for Tumbling Words on June 19 at The Dot Café! Enjoy a fun and therapeutic evening of cocktails, mocktails, and creative self-expression through Wild Writing. No experience needed, […]

Swift Youth Writers Workshop

June 11th, 2025

The FREE Swift Youth Writers Workshops are designed to nurture creative writing and in-person connections among youth.

Generative Writing Workshop

June 10th, 2025

Join this FREE monthly writing workshop for adults, which provides a safe space for writers of all stages and genres to generate stories inspired by poetry.

Fifth Street Writers Grand Opening

May 7th, 2025

Join Us for Our Grand Opening! We’re excited to invite you to the grand opening of our new space at 612 Fifth Street, Ames, IA on Friday, May 23, 2025! […]

Author Spotlight: Liese Greensfelder LIVE at KHOI

May 5th, 2025

Join the Ames Writers Collective for an evening with Liese Greensfelder: live at KHOI Radio on Tuesday, May 6 at 7 PM. This free community event features a reading, book […]

Read the Mary Greeley Feature on Writing Circle Wednesdays

April 22nd, 2025

The Mary Greeley Foundation recently published a thoughtful article, “Finding Strength in Story,” highlighting Writing Circle Wednesdays, a weekly online writing group led by Ames Writers Collective founder Ana McCracken. […]

Meet our Board of Directors

March 13th, 2025

Meet the Ames Writers Collective Board of Directors. Armaan Gupta Armaan Gupta is a software engineer and hackathon organizer originally from Illinois. He’s a recent graduate from Iowa State University […]

Join Our Write Togethers

March 7th, 2025

Join our Write Togethers where we join together in person at Fifth Street Writers and on Zoom. We share what we’re working on, and write for ~90 minutes...

New Membership and Donor Platform is Now Open!

February 23rd, 2025

Exciting News: Our New Membership & Donor Platform is Now Open! We’re thrilled to announce that Membership Registration and Donor Support for Ames Writers Collective are officially open! Why Become […]

Ames Writers Collective hosting Poetry Slam Qualifier Feb. 28

February 4th, 2025

Mark your calendars, for the rescheduled Iowa Poetry Association Slam Qualifier to be held on February 28 from 7 to 9 PM at Fifth Street Writers. The winner will not only […]

Missed Our Founder on IPR’s Talk of Iowa?

January 30th, 2025

Missed Our Founder on IPR's Talk of Iowa? Here's how to tune in...

1st Saturdays | Write Together at Fifth Street Writers

January 30th, 2025

Join us Saturday for our monthly Write Together at Fifth Street Writers...

Claire Kruesel hosting the Generative Writing Workshop on Jan. 25!

January 22nd, 2025

Discover your inner writer with Claire Kruesel at the Generative Writing Workshop on Jan. 25! Whether you’re dreaming of writing someday or looking to reignite your creative spark, this free […]

Founder Ana Hays McCracken on Talk of Iowa

January 6th, 2025

The Ames Writers Collective is thrilled to announce that our founder, Ana McCracken, will be a guest speaker on Talk of Iowa! Hosted by Charity Nebbe and presented by Iowa […]

Author Spotlight Featuring Anna Jinja Mather

December 3rd, 2024

The Ames Writers Collective & KHOI Community Radio are thrilled to feature debut author, Anna Jinja Mather on Tuesday, December 17th.

Seeking New Board Members

November 1st, 2024

Join Our Board Are you interested in serving as an Ames Writers Collective board member? If not you, do you know of someone who might like to join our board? […]

Ames Writers Collective Receives Grant for Upcoming Fifth Street Writers Co-Working Space

October 30th, 2024

The Ames Writers Collective is thrilled to announce the receipt of a generous grant from the Story County Community Foundation! This grant will be instrumental in helping us accomplish our […]

2024 Swift Literary Festival Author Spotlights

October 8th, 2024

2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Group & Clair Kruesel

October 7th, 2024

Join our talented and fun-loving writer and facilitator, Claire Kruesel for our 2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Group.

Fifth Street—A Co-Working Space For Writers

September 3rd, 2024

COMING SOON at 612 5th Street! Fifth Street—a members-only co-working space, meant exclusively for writers...

2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Group & Linea King

August 31st, 2024

Hey Youth Writers! It's almost fall and time to write at our monthly Swift Youth Writers Groups held on the 2nd Sundays of the month at the Ames Public Library...

Facing Pain With A Pen

August 25th, 2024

Exuberant writers during a recent Writing Circle Wednesday.

We are thrilled that Writing Circle Wednesday writer, Lori Holliday is featured in Health Connect magazine, a publication of Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, Iowa...

Swift Youth Writers Workshop Awarded Kiwanis Club of Ames Grant

June 7th, 2024

The Ames Noon Kiwanis Club is pleased to announce support of the Ames Writers Collective for the week-long Swift Youth Writers Workshop to be held June 24 to 28th at […]

Swift Youth Writers FREE Creative Writing Workshop June 24 to 28

May 22nd, 2024

Escape into creative writing and connect with other writers. Regardless of your genre, for five days writers will come together to write together to writing prompts...

Words Meet Art & Arts As Alchemy | Sept 13 & 14

May 21st, 2024

Join Ames Writers Collective Founder, Ana McCracken for an evening of Words Meet Art held in partnership with “Arts As Alchemy Forgetting to Remember Pieces of Me” a collage exhibit titled, […]

On YouTube | If You Missed the Live Celebrating Cather 150 Event…

April 21st, 2024

If you missed the live "Celebrating Cather 150" event at the Ames Public Library on February 28th, it was recorded and posted to YouTube.

Celebrating 150 Years of Willa Cather by Megan Klein-Hewett

February 25th, 2024

The acclaimed American author, Willa Cather, would have been 150 years old on December 7, 2023. On February 28, from 7-8 pm, join the Ames Writers Collective, the National Willa Cather Center, and Ames Public Library to honor Cather’s great life and works in the Library’s Auditorium...

Congratulations Youth Poet Contest Winners

February 4th, 2024

Four Swift Youth Writers poets were chosen from a "blind read" contest after attending three poetry writing workshops led by Caleb "The Negro" Poet Rainey in January...

Author Spotlight | Poets Paul Brooke & Jennifer Knox

February 4th, 2024

Here at the Ames Writers Collective we like to refer to Paul and Jen as the Jen and Paul Show. Together they will entertain you with banter, conversation and poetry […]

Poetry Workshop with Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey & The Langston Hughes Project

February 3rd, 2024

During the month of January, Central Iowa Youth were invited to attend three FREE poetry workshops held at the Ames Public Library. Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey taught the workshops, which...

Ames Writers Collective Awarded ACAC Arts in Education Grant

January 18th, 2024

The Ames Community Arts Council has awarded the Ames Writers Collective an Arts in Education Grant to help fund teen-poetry workshops taught by poet, performer and producer, Caleb Rainey.

Exciting Opportunity for Young Writers!

December 5th, 2023

Youth writers, listen up! You are invited to join poet Caleb Rainey for three poetry workshops designed especially for Central Iowa Youth. These workshops are completely free and will be […]

Langston Hughes Project Receives 2024 Discover Ames Community Grant

November 21st, 2023

On November 21st, Discover Ames awarded the Ames Writers Collective a 2024 Discover Ames Community Grant for the “Langston Hughes Project.” “We are looking forward to 2024, the eighteenth year […]

Ames Writers Collective Receives COTA Grant

November 13th, 2023

The Ames Commission on the Arts (COTA) has awarded the Ames Writers Collective a Special Project Grant for 2024. Money awarded will help fund a teen-poetry master class in conjunction with the "Langston Hughes Project Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz" at Stephens Auditorium on February 8, 2024.

Tom Geraty in Conversation with Ana for Beaverdale Books

October 14th, 2023

Watch Ana and Tom Geraty talking about his new memoir and their shared experiences of searching for a birth parent.

Founder Featured in Livability Ames “Cost of Living Diaries”

August 4th, 2023

Read why Ames Writers Collective founder, Ana McCracken moved back to Ames, Iowa in Livability Ames...

Swift Youth Writers Workshop, June 26-30

June 6th, 2023

Over the course of five days, June 26-30, young writers will come together in a safe space to read an inspirational piece of writing and write together to timed-writing prompts. FREE

Ames Writers Collective Receives Cultural Award

May 30th, 2023

We are honored to be the recipient of the Veronika Ruedenberg Cultural Entrepreneur Award this year!

Wordsmiths At Work in Ames | Livability Ames/Story County, IA Magazine

March 28th, 2023

We are proud to be featured in the current issue of Livability Ames among the awesome businesses and organizations that make living in Story County, Iowa great.

Words Meet Art – Winter/Spring 2023

January 23rd, 2023

This is a literary arts event demonstrating through words how art, used as a writing prompt, can invoke feelings, trigger memories, and inspire conversations across divides and demographics.

IPR Talk of Iowa Interview

November 20th, 2022

Ana was interviewed on Iowa Public Radio's Talk of Iowa, discussing new options for non-academic writers in Iowa.

KHOI Community Bookshelf Interview

November 16th, 2022

Ana speaks on-air about Ames Writers Collective and our goals and mission.

Our Founder Reads at Litquake 2022

October 17th, 2022

Ames Writers Collective founder reads at LitQuake 2022. Listen here!

First Swift Writers Workshop is a Success

August 9th, 2022

Our first workshop for teens was fun, challenging, and we all learned so much from writing together!

Why Join a Cancer Writing Circle?

July 7th, 2022 | Mary Greeley Medical Center

Video – Writing Circle Wednesdays If you are going through cancer treatment, or have completed treatment within the last two years, why would you want to be part of a […]

Swift Youth Writers Workshop Receives Rotary Club of Ames Community Grant

June 27th, 2022

Founder of the Ames Writers Collective, Ana McCracken receives a Rotary Club of Ames Community Grant for the Swift Youth Writers Workshops from outgoing Rotary Club of Ames President, Kelsey […]

On the Air with Mary Richards

June 7th, 2022 | ARCHIVES.KHOIFM.ORG

On the air, Mary Richards and Ana discuss how Ana became a writer, her hybrid-memoir classes at OLLI-ISU, the launch of the Ames Writers Collective and its outreach programs—Writing Circle […]

Ana McCracken Launches Ames Writers Collective

September 18th, 2021 | Ames Tribune

Author Ana McCracken saw a need in the Ames community for a support network for writers — a group where writers and storytellers can study outside of academic settings. She […]

Writing Through Cancer With the Ames Writers Collective | Unity Point John Stoddard Cancer Center

May 6th, 2026

Our founder, ANA MCCRACKEN is thrilled and honored to be a part of the Unity Point John Stoddard Cancer Center Metastatic Cancer Series.

3rd Annual Swift Literary Festival

May 6th, 2026

On Sunday, September 22nd, the Ames Writers Collective will host the 3rd Annual Swift Literary Festival—a pop-up event held annually at the Octagon Art Festival.

Our Founder Speaks at Peace & Justice Conference

May 6th, 2026

Our founder, Ana McCracken was thrilled and honored to participate as a plenary panelist at the annual Peace & Justice Studies Conference...

Writing That Scary Thing—A Women’s Writing Retreat

May 6th, 2026

The thought of writing your obituary may be scary. But think of it as a wonderful opportunity to reflect and to plan how you wish to live the rest of your best life. Join Mary Lou Nosco and Ana McCracken for a fun-filled and reflective writing retreat at Prairiewoods. You don’t have to be “a writer” to join us.

City Council Approves Ames Writers Collective Grant

May 6th, 2026

Thank you, Ames City Council for the City of Ames Arts Capital Grant! On Tuesday, September 26th, the Ames City Council heard a request from the Ames Writers Collective to alter the purpose of a grant they received in 2022...

Swift Literary Festival 2023

May 6th, 2026

On Sunday, September 24th, the Ames Writers Collective hosted the 2nd Annual Swift Literary Festival—a pop-up event held annually at the Octagon Art Festival. At the event, festival-goers visited with […]

Swift Literary Festival | Sunday, Sept 22nd | 10 to 4

May 6th, 2026

Join the us this Sunday, September 22nd from 10 to 4 at the Octagon Art Festival for our 3rd Annual Swift Literary Festival in Ames, Iowa. Meet our authors, and […]

Writers Inspired by Tom Montgomery Fate

May 6th, 2026

On Wednesday, September 27th, 30 writers filled the Dan Foss Room at the Ames Public Library to capacity to write and listen to author, Tom Montgomery Fate...

Register for the 4th Annual Swift Youth Writers Workshop from June 23 – 27

May 6th, 2026

Unlock Your Creativity This Summer! Join us for the Swift Youth Writers Free Creative Writing Workshop — a five-day experience for students in grades 6–12 to explore their voice, meet […]